Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces who retired on age grounds in each of the past ten years; the number of members who resigned or took early retirement in each of the past ten years; the number of new members who were recruited in each of the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38192/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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In 2005, a total of 64 Officers were newly commissioned and 441 Enlisted Personnel (including 49 Cadets) were newly inducted into the Defence Forces. The corresponding figures for 2006 to date are 67 Officers and 497 Enlisted Personnel (including 52 Cadets).

The number of retirements for Officers and Enlisted Personnel is as set out in the following schedule. Defence Force Regulations provide that a person who enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force before 1 January 1994 may be permitted to continue in service up to the age of sixty years. It also provides that a person who enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force on or after 1 January 1994 may be permitted to continue in service up to the age of fifty years in the rank of Sergeant and to the age of fifty-six in all higher ranks. Enlisted personnel, in the rank of corporal or private, who enlisted after 1 January 1994, may not serve beyond twenty-one years service in any event.

The current retirement ages are 54 for Captain, 56 for Commandant and 58 for Lieutenant Colonel. Higher ranks have retiring ages ranging from 60 to 63 years of age.

The 2000 White Paper on Defence and the earlier Defence Force Review Implementation Plan both, in the context of a Defence Force Personnel Management System, recommended reduction to retirement ages and the introduction of short service commissions for some officers in the Defence Force. These measures were designed to address the shortage of junior officers, to improve the age profile of officers and to ensure mobility.